An OWCP schedule award pays a lump sum from one formula: your compensation rate (66⅔% of pay with no dependents, or 75% with a dependent) × the number of weeks assigned to your body part in the FECA schedule × your impairment rating percentage. Example: a 20% arm impairment at a $1,000 weekly rate pays 312 × 20% × $1,000 = $62,400. This guide explains where each number comes from, how long approval takes, and what you need before scheduling an impairment exam.
How OWCP schedule award amounts are calculated
OWCP schedule awards use a single formula with three inputs. Every award you'll read about — high or low — comes from these same three numbers multiplied together.
Compensation rate × Body-part weeks × Impairment percentage = Schedule award (lump sum). Change any one input and the payout changes proportionally.
Your compensation rate — 66⅔% or 75%
The first number is your compensation rate — not your full salary, but a percentage of it. FECA sets this at 66⅔% of your regular weekly pay if you have no eligible dependents. If you have at least one eligible dependent (a spouse living with you, or a qualifying child), the rate rises to 75%. This is the same percentage used for OWCP wage-loss compensation on Form CA-7.
Whichever rate applies, that percentage is applied to your average weekly pay rate at the time of injury — capped by an annual maximum published by the Department of Labor.
Body-part weeks — set by law, not by injury severity
The second number is the number of compensation weeks Congress assigned to each body part in the FECA schedule (5 U.S.C. §8107). These are legislated values — an arm is worth 312 weeks whether the injury was severe or moderate. The severity shows up in the third input (your impairment percentage), not here.
Impairment percentage — from the AMA Guides, 6th Edition
The third number is your impairment rating — the percentage of permanent function you have lost. This comes from a physician's evaluation using the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 6th Edition (published 2008). OWCP requires the 6th Edition specifically; ratings prepared under an earlier edition are typically returned for rework.
The exam happens only after you reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) — the point where your condition has stabilized and further recovery isn't expected. Rating before MMI is premature and OWCP will not accept it.
Schedule award weeks by body part (FECA schedule)
These are the compensation weeks Congress assigned to each scheduled member under 5 U.S.C. §8107. Multiply the weeks by your impairment percentage and your weekly compensation rate to estimate a total lump-sum award.
| Body part | Weeks | 100% impairment estimate* |
|---|---|---|
| Arm (lost or 100% impairment) | 312 | $312,000 |
| Leg | 288 | $288,000 |
| Hand | 244 | $244,000 |
| Foot | 205 | $205,000 |
| Eye | 160 | $160,000 |
| Thumb | 75 | $75,000 |
| First (index) finger | 46 | $46,000 |
| Second finger | 30 | $30,000 |
| Third finger | 25 | $25,000 |
| Fourth finger | 15 | $15,000 |
| Great toe | 38 | $38,000 |
| Other toe (each) | 16 | $16,000 |
| One ear (hearing loss) | 52 | $52,000 |
| Both ears (hearing loss) | 200 | $200,000 |
Back and neck are not scheduled members — but nerve damage may still qualify
The spine itself is not on the FECA schedule. There is no direct schedule award for a back or neck injury. However, if the spinal injury causes measurable permanent nerve damage or functional impairment in a scheduled extremity (arm or leg) — for example, radiculopathy affecting grip strength or gait — you may qualify for a schedule award rated through that extremity.
Even when a schedule award isn't available for the spine directly, OWCP wage-loss compensation and medical benefits still apply to back conditions. The schedule award is one benefit alongside others, not a substitute for them.
Worked examples
Three scenarios to show how the formula applies. All amounts are illustrative — your actual weekly compensation rate and impairment percentage will produce different numbers.
Example 1 — 20% arm impairment, $1,000 weekly rate
A federal worker suffers a shoulder injury that reaches MMI. An AMA-Guides 6th Edition exam assigns a 20% impairment of the arm. Their weekly compensation rate is $1,000. The arm is 312 weeks on the FECA schedule.
312 weeks × 20% impairment × $1,000/week = $62,400 lump sum.
Example 2 — 15% leg impairment, $1,000 weekly rate
A postal worker develops permanent knee dysfunction after a fall. AMA-Guides 6th Edition rates the impairment at 15% of the leg. Compensation rate is $1,000/week. The leg is 288 weeks.
288 weeks × 15% impairment × $1,000/week = $43,200 lump sum.
Example 3 — nerve damage rated through the affected arm
A federal employee sustains a cervical injury that causes lasting radiculopathy in the dominant arm. The spine itself is not scheduled, but the AMA-Guides 6th Edition assigns a 12% upper-extremity impairment based on the nerve dysfunction and functional loss. Compensation rate is $1,000/week.
312 weeks × 12% impairment × $1,000/week = $37,440 lump sum. Rated through the arm — even though the underlying condition originates in the neck.
How long does a schedule award take to be approved?
Typical processing time is 4 to 6 months from the day OWCP receives a complete AMA-Guides-compliant impairment rating report and a properly filed Form CA-7. Complex claims or incomplete reports can extend that timeline significantly.
What speeds the decision up
- A complete AMA-Guides 6th Edition report — correct edition explicitly stated, all rating tables referenced, functional history documented, and a clearly stated impairment percentage.
- MMI documented before the rating is performed (no premature ratings).
- Form CA-7 filed at the same time as the rating report, not months later.
- A response from your treating provider to any development letters OWCP sends within their requested timeframe.
An impairment report using the wrong AMA edition — or missing the specific rating tables and functional criteria the 6th Edition requires. Confirm your rating physician documents under the 6th Edition before your exam.
What you need to claim a schedule award
- Reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). Your treating provider must document that your condition has stabilized. Ratings performed before MMI will not be accepted.
- Obtain a physician impairment rating using the AMA Guides, 6th Edition. The rating must state the impairment percentage of the affected scheduled member (arm, leg, hand, foot, eye, etc.).
- File Form CA-7 with medical evidence supporting the rating. Attach the complete impairment report — not just a summary — and any supporting imaging, functional testing, or treatment notes referenced in the rating.
MMI is a clinical determination that further recovery isn't expected. The AMA-Guides impairment exam is a separate, formal evaluation that can only happen after MMI is documented. Trying to combine them or short-cut the sequence tends to produce reports OWCP will reject.
Get your OWCP impairment rating in Las Vegas
NuThera is an OWCP-enrolled clinic in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas providing AMA-Guides 6th Edition-compliant impairment ratings for federal workers. Our clinicians document the specific tables, functional history, and rating criteria OWCP expects — the single biggest driver of a fast, defensible schedule award decision.
Book an OWCP impairment-rating evaluation at NuThera — (725) 726-7914. We serve Las Vegas (5765 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 111) and North Las Vegas (3880 W. Ann Rd., Suite 130).
Keep exploring.
- OWCP schedule awards — eligibility and the basics
The parent pillar — what schedule awards are, who qualifies, and how they fit alongside other OWCP benefits.
- OWCP Continuation of Pay & Form CA-7
How wage-loss compensation is calculated during the 45-day COP window and after — schedule awards are paid separately.
- OWCP Forms library
Companion guides for CA-7 and the medical evidence a schedule award claim requires.
- OWCP Glossary
Definitions of MMI, impairment percentage, scheduled member, and the AMA Guides — every term used in this guide.
- DOL Injury Recovery at NuThera
How our multidisciplinary team supports federal workers through evaluation, treatment, and impairment rating.
- OWCP claim denied? What to do next
If your schedule award claim is denied, the reconsideration and ECAB appeal path.
Common questions.
How much is an OWCP schedule award worth?
A schedule award is a lump sum equal to your compensation rate (66⅔% of pay with no dependents, or 75% with at least one eligible dependent) multiplied by the number of weeks assigned to your body part in the FECA schedule multiplied by your impairment rating percentage. Example: a 20% arm impairment at a $1,000 weekly rate pays 312 × 0.20 × $1,000 = $62,400. Actual awards depend on your specific pay rate and impairment rating.
How is an OWCP schedule award calculated?
The formula is three factors multiplied together: compensation rate × body-part weeks × impairment percentage. Your compensation rate is 66⅔% of your regular weekly pay if you have no eligible dependents, 75% if you have at least one. Body-part weeks are set by law (5 U.S.C. §8107) — an arm is 312 weeks, a leg is 288, a hand is 244, and so on. Impairment percentage comes from a physician's evaluation using the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 6th Edition.
Can you get a schedule award for nerve damage?
Yes, when the nerve damage causes measurable permanent impairment in a scheduled extremity — for example, radiculopathy affecting arm or leg function. The rating is calculated through the affected upper or lower extremity using the AMA Guides 6th Edition. Isolated nerve damage that does not affect a scheduled member typically does not qualify.
Can you get an OWCP schedule award for a back injury?
The back itself is not a scheduled member under FECA — there is no direct schedule award for the spine. However, if a back injury causes nerve damage or functional impairment in a scheduled extremity (arm or leg), you may qualify for a schedule award rated through that extremity. Wage-loss compensation and medical benefits still apply to back conditions even when no schedule award is available.
How long does OWCP schedule award approval take?
Typical processing time is 4 to 6 months from the day OWCP receives a complete AMA-Guides-compliant impairment rating report and a properly filed Form CA-7. Delays happen when the report is missing key elements — the correct AMA edition, all rating tables, functional history, or a clearly stated whole-person/extremity percentage. A complete report the first time is the single biggest predictor of a fast decision.
Do you get a schedule award and wage-loss compensation at the same time?
No — not for the same period. Schedule awards and wage-loss compensation are paid consecutively, not concurrently. If you are receiving wage-loss compensation when your schedule award is approved, OWCP will typically pay the schedule award first as a lump sum, then resume wage-loss benefits when the schedule award period ends.
What impairment guide does OWCP use for schedule awards?
OWCP uses the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 6th Edition (published 2008). Ratings prepared under an earlier edition (5th or older) will typically be returned for rework. When you schedule an impairment exam, confirm the physician will document using the 6th Edition specifically.